Driving mechanism for washing-machines.



H. W. DARROW.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHlNG MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, I908.

1;?30'2142. Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

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H. W. DARROW.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7. 1908.

1 ,207, 142. Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

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DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1908.

1 ,207, 142. Patented Dec. 5, 1916;

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DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7. 1908- 1,207,142.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

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1 3 O O m v by hand, it isdesirable to mount upon the HENRY WARD DARROW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY Mil-SN E ASSIGNMENTS,

'.I.O FRITZ MUSER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRIVING 'MECHAN ISM WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application filed December 7, 1908. Serial No. 466,337.

'ing mechanism for both rotating the washing cylinder and operating the clothes wringer.

In order to obviate the severe manual labor required to operate washing machlnes machinea motor, preferably an electric one, and driving mechanism actuated by the motor, and to utilize the motor also for operat ing the clothes wringer, which convenience requires should besupported upon the machine in position to pass the washed articles therethrough as they are removed from the machine.

An ob'ection to power-driven-wrlngers as heretofore constructed is that the direction of rotation cannot be reversed, and hence.

tangle them.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a washing machine with a motor "mounted beneath" the machine without danger of injury from leaking water, the motor being supported by means which also contribute to the strength of the supporting frame of the machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple and efiicient drivlng mechanism a conveniently supported upon the'end of the machine for operatively connecting the motor with the washing cylinder and with the wringer, and whichmay be readily controlled to actuate either the Washing cylinder orthe wringers.

A-"further object ofmy invention 1s to provide aclutch mechanism intermediate the driving means and the wringer for operatable washing machine for household use, and theinvention consists in devising,

and in cooperatively combining, the com-' ponent parts of a cylinder washing machine and of the driving, mechanisms therefor, producing thereby a self contained, unitary machine, operatable without any other acccssories, except a source of electric current as it is available in households. in a washing machine, constructed according to my invention, the several mechanisms operating or driving its parts are designed and disposed in and between the parts of the machine, and housed in suitable casings, with the object in view to eliminate all danger of injury to the person" using the machine, or to the clothing, and so that after switching on" the electric current, the starting, operating and stopping of the machine requires merely the turning of a crank, pro vided with a handle located at a convenient point at the front end of the machine.

A washing machine, embodying the recited features' of my invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an end elevation-of my'improved washing machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3 of Fig. 1. section on the line 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the lower part of Furthermore,

Fig. 4 is a the machine as viewed from a direction op- I posite to that of Fig. 1, this section being taken on the line 5 in. Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sectional views taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 3. Figs. 8 'and 9 are details illustrating certain elements of the machine which may be identified by means of the referencenumerals applied to them.

In the particular embodiment of my invention which I have chosen to illustrateand describe, the washing machine stands on four legs at the'respective corners, each le comprising two sections 15 and 16, secure together b nuts 19. s shown in Fig. 5, the legs have an angular cross section and an upwardly projecting tongue 17 from the lower section 16 fits within the angular groove in the upper section 15. I v

Casters are provided at the lower ends of the corner posts as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Inasmuch as these form no part of the inmeans of the bolts 18 and the wall of the washing machine tank, within which is the rotatable washing drum 33.

vention claimed herein they need not be described.

A horizontal brace 28 is connected to and supported by the two end legs 15. Above this is the end wall 29 of the washing machine tank. Above the horizontal brace 28 is another horizontal brace 30 extending across between the two legs 15, and above this is an extension 31 of the end wall. The reference numeral 32 indicates the front The transverse brace 28 has a horizontal extension 34, on the under side of which is bolted the electric motor 35. The conductors 36 lead thereto from the hand swit'h 37, mounted on the end wall 31 of the washing machine tank.- The conductors 38 lead from the screw socket 39 to the switch 37.

The motor shaft 40 carries agear pinion 41. A stud 42 projects from the cross brace 28, to which it is attached by the riveted head 43. On this stud 42 is rotatably mounted the hub 44, from which the spokes 45 radiate to the internally geared rim 46,"

which is engaged by the pinion 41. I annular plate 46 is attached to the spokes 45 by means of screws. A bearing block 47 is mounted upon the end of the stud 42, bemg secured thereto by means of the two set screws 48. A shaft 49 carries a gear pinion 50, which'meshes with the gear teeth 50 in the hub 44 of the main gear wheel 46. The shaft 49 has its end portion reduced in size as indicated by the reference numeral 51, and this is rotatably mounted in a corresponding socket in the block 47. A set screw 52, provided with a lock nut 53, is adapted to adjust the shaft 49 longitudinally. The block 47 has a flange 54 around the gear teeth 50.

The brace 30, which extends across the end of themachine, has'a projecting bracket 55, to which an extension member 56 is at tached by screws. Between the bracket 55 and the extension 56 is clamped a bushing 57 surrounding the shaft 49. A casing 58, having a row of holes 59, has its lower end resting on the bracket 55-56. The brace 61 is bolted to'the corner of the machine, and a bracket integral therewith projects up and ends in a cap 62, which is attached to and supports the upper end of the casing 58. Inside of the end wall 31 of thewashing machine is a plate 63 from which a tubular extension63 projectslaterally, constituting a journal bearing for the shaft 64, to the end of which is fixed a gear pinion 65 by means of the pin 66. The collar 68 is loosely mounted on the shaft 49, and has the gear pinion 67 at one end thereof in mesh with the pinion 65. This collar 68 has ratchet or clutch teeth. 69 adapted to be engaged by the opposed teeth 70 on the flanged sleeve 71. This sleeve '71 has sliding engagement with the shaft 49, but is forced to rotate therewith by means of the key 71. The fork 72 (see Fig. 7) engages the sleeve 71 between the flanges at the ends thereof.

the casing 58, the parts being held firmly in place by means of the coil spring 77 and the lock nut 78. The shaft 73 has an offset at 79 corresponding to the eccentric mounting on the disk 74. Between the ends of the members 80 is fastened a plate 82, by means; of bolts 83, the ends of the plate resting against the sides of the casing 58, and thus holding the fork 72 against rotation-around the shaft 49. On the end of the shaft 64 is a gear wheel 84, which engages a train of gears mounted on the plate 85, that connects with the studs 86 to rotate the drum 33.

Within the cap plate 62, at the upper end of thecasing 58, is an adjustable bushing 87, which engages the upper end of the shaft 49. The pinion 88 is loosely mounted on the shaft 49 against the washer 89. Another opwill be explained presently. On the opposite end of this shaft 94 is fixed a beveled gear wheel 96, which is in engagement with both the beveled gear pinions 88 and 90. The opposed ends of the beveled gear pinions 88 and have clutch teeth 115 and 116, between which is the flanged collar 117 with opposed coacting clutch teeth at its ends. This collar 117 has non-rotatable but slidingengagement with the shaft 49 by means of the key 118. Within the flanges of the collar 117 is the fork 98, from which the two members project having a slot 99 between them. There is a slot 97 in the casing 58, within which the members 100 are adapted to reciprocate; thus the fork 98 is held against rotation about the shaft 49. A disk 101, journaled in the casing 58, has a shoulder 102, from which extends a crank 107 with a handle 108 at its extremity. Eccentrically'mounted in the disk "101 is a shaft 103, which has an offset 104 corresponding to the eccentricity of its mounting, the end of the shaft 103 beyond the offset 104 being journaled in the casing wall and the parts being held closely in place by means of the coil spring 105 and the lock nuts 106. The shaft 103 lies in the slot 99 of the fork 98.

The clutch 95 on the end of the shaft 94 is adapted to engage a transversestud 111 on the end of the drive: shaft 110 of the wringer 112. This wringer is adapted to be attached to the upper front edge of the.

to enable the rotation of the wringer rollers to be instantaneously reversed, is claimed water is preyented from running down through the motor.

Assuming that the clutch 6970 i s disconnected and that the crank 107 has the intermediate position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the sliding collar 117 will be in an intermediate position with ,its clutches disengaged at both ends, then it will be apparent that when the electric motor 25 is setto running by properly throwing the switch 37, the only effect will be to idly rotate the shaft 49 by means of the intermeshing gears 41 and 46. When it is desired to start the washing drum to rotating this is accomplished by throwing the crank 75. This causes the eccentric shaft 73 to push'the clutch teeth 70 into engagement with the clutch teeth 69, and thus the'rotation of'the shaft'49 is communicated through the collar 71 to thegear pinion 68. 'This drives the gear wheel 84, and thence through the intermediate train of gears mounted on the plate 85, the movement is communicated 'to the drum 33.

When it is desired to start the wringer 112 :this can be accomplished by rotating the crank 107, which will cause the eccentric shaft 103 to shift thecollar 117, thereby causing the clutch teeth at one end of the collar to engage the clutch teeth- 115 or 116 on the respective gear pinions 88 or 90. Thus it will be seen that the rotation of the shaft 49 will be communicated through the collar 117 to .one or the other of the gear pinions 88 and 90, thus rotating the wringer rolls. The direction in which the wringer rolls are rotated will depend upon which clutch 115 or 116 is engaged by the collar 117, and this will depend upon the direction in wh'ich the crank 107 is turned from its intermediate position shown in Fig. 2.-

Thus. it will be seen that the wringer can be driven forwarder backward orc'an be instantly stopped at will.

The transverse brace 30 in connection with the parts 55,56 and 57 forms a support for the shaft 49 and for the lower end of-the gear casing 58. This brace 30 also support for the two eccentric shafts 73 and 103 and also affords-guiding means for the forks, which are reciprocated by these shafts. The holes 59 in the casing 58 facilitate oiling the gears.

I consider the reversible wringer driving mechanism a feature of decided lmportance.

If garments become caught in'the wringer rolls, the latter may be quickly stopped and reversed, thus withdrawing the garments without tearing them or without making it necessary to dismantle the whole ,wringer in order to remove them.

The lower part 61 of the corner bracket 606162 has a right angle cross section fitting around the upper part of the corner post 15. The intermediate part 60 carries .a journal bearing for the wringer driving shaft 94, and the top part 62 supports the casing 58 and also carries the adjustable thrust bearing member 87 for the shaft 49. The transverse brace 28-34 has a right angle cross section, which gives it great strength and at the same time affords a suitable support for' the motor 35, the flan es 114 causing any drip water to fall down eside the motor instead of upon it.

I claim: 1. In a washing machine, corner posts, a horizontal brace connecting the two corner posts at one end of the machine, said brace having a portion thereof in the form of a horizontal plate, a dripflange around the edge of said plate, a motor attached on the under side of the plate, washing mechanism, and driving connections from the motor to said washing mechanism.

2. In a washing machine, corner posts, a

substantially horizontal brace connecting two corner posts at one end, said brace having a right angle cross section with one flange horizontal andthe other flange vertical, a motor attached to the under side of the horizontal flange, a gear wheel rotatably ofa supporting rame, a tank in the frame,

andv a cylinder rotatably mounted therein; an upwardly extending driving shaft journaled upon the supporting frame; a gear mounted thereon; means for rotating the cylinder adapted to. be actuated by the gear on the driving shaft; manually operatable' means controlling the operative connection between the gear on the driving shaft and the means for rotating thecylinder, a mo.- tor mounted beneath the machine upon the supporting frame, and operative connections between the motor and the driving shaft.

4. In a washing machine, corner posts, a horizontal brace supported by .two corner posts at one end,- a motor mounted on the under side of said brace, a stud projecting horizontally from the side of the brace, an intermediate. gear wheel mounted on said stud having a beveled gear pinion integral therewith, a block attached to the extremity of the stud, a shaft having one end journaled in said block, a. beveled gear pinion fixed on said shaft in engagement withthe first mentioned beveled gear pinion, washing mechanism, and connections from the said shaft to drive the said washing-mechanism.

5. In a washing machine, corner posts, a horizontal brace attached to two end corner posts, a motor attached to the brace on the under side thereof, a stud projecting hori- 4 zontally from the side of the brace, a block attached to the end of the stud by means of set'screws, a shaft having its end journaled in the said block, a gear pinion on said shaft, a projecting flange on the block around said gear pinion, intermediate gearing between the said motor and the saidgear pinion, washing mechanism, and driving connections from the said shaft to the said washing mechanism.

6. Ina washing machine the combination of a supporting frame, a tank in the frame,

and a cylinder in the tank, rotatably mounted in the supporting frame; a casing aflixed to the frame on one end' of the tank, a driving shaft journaled in the casing, a motor mounted upon the supporting frame underneath the tank, operative connections between the motor and the driving shaft; a gear on the driving shaft, means for rotating the cylinder, adapted to be actuated by the gear on the driving shaft, and manually operatable means for shifting the gear on the driving shaft in operative relation with the means for rotating the cylinder, and for controlling the rotation of the cylinder without stopping or reversing the motor.

7. In a washing machine, a corner post, a horizontal brace attached to said corne'r post at an intermediate point of the height thereof, a bracket projecting from the upper end of the corner post, a casing havlng its ends supported by said brace and bracket, an intermediate driving ShafhWlthlIl said casing, a motor to rotate the driving shaft, washingmechanism, and gearing vfrom the driving shaft 'to the washing mechanism.

8. In a washing machine, a corner post, a bracket having an angular cross section embracing the post at the upper end thereof, the extremity of said bracket having a ournal bearing, anintermediate driyingshaft having its. end mounted in saidbearmg, a motor to drive the shaft, washing mechanism, and. driving connections from the shaft to said washing mechanism.

9. In a washing machine, a corner post,

abracket attached to the upper end of said I driving shaft within the casing having its end journaled in said cap, washing mechanism, gearing from the shaft to the washing mechanism, a motor, and connections from the motor to drlve said intermedlate shaft. 10. In a washing machine comprising a tank and rotary cylinder therein, a corner post, a. bracket attached to'the upper end thereof, an intermediate. driving shaft,

means actuated by said shaft for rotating said cylinder, a bushing around theend of said shaft, said bushing being mounted in a hole in the end of the said bracket, said,

bushing and the bracket having a screw threaded engagement whereby the bushing may be adjusted longitudinally, and said bushing having ashoulderover the end of the shaft whereby it is adapted to act as a thrust bearing.

11. In a. washing machine comprising a tank and rotary cylinder therein, a transverse brace across the end of the machine,

an' intermediate driving shaft, means actuated by said shaft for rotating said cylinder, a bushing around said'shaft, and an 1 extension on the brace adapted to be att-ached thereto, said bushing being clamped between the brace and the extension.

12. In a washing machine, a supporting frame, a tank mounted therein, a rotary cylinder in the tank; a gear on the'cylinder, a

driving shaft extending vupwardly across the end wall of the tank, and approximately at a right angle to the axis of the cylinder; a gear loosely mounted on the driving shaft,

a manually operatable clutch to engage the gear with the driving shaft; a shaft extending through the end Wall of thetank,a gear on one end of the shaft, engaging with the gear on the driving shaft, and a driving gear on'the other end of the shaft, operatively connected with the gear on thelcylinder, substantially as herein shown and described.

. 13. In a washing machine comprising a tank and rotary cylinder therein, an intermediate driving shaft, a gear wheel loosely mounted thereon, means actuated. by said gear' wheel for rotating said cylinder, a

clutch member adapted to reciprocate on the shaft and engage said gear wheel, a. casing around the shaft, a disk rotatably mounted in the casing wall, a shaft projecting eccentrically from the disk and engaging a slot in said clutch member, said shaft having an offset at its end to correspond to the ac; centric mounting at the other end, and a crank on the disk to rotate the same.

14., In a washing machine, the combination of a frame, a tank in the frame, a cylinder rotatably mounted therein; a motor mounted on the frame underneath the tank,

a driving shaft journaled on the frame at an approximately right angle to the axis of the cylinder; means operatively connecting the motor with the driving shaft; means on the cylinder, adapted to be engaged by a driving gear; a gear'on the driving shaft, an intermediate gear, adapted to be actu-' ated by the gear on the driving shaft, and engaging the means for rotating the cylinder, andmanually operatable mechanism for operatively connecting thegear on thedriving shaft withthe intermediate gear, substantially as herein shownIand described.

15. In a Washing machine the combinationof a frame, a tank in the frame, a cylinder rotatably mounted therein; means on the cylinder adapted to engage with driving gears for imparting rotatory motion thereto;

a motor mounted onthe frame underneath I the cylinder; a dr ving shaft, journaled in vice for locking the gear to the drlving shaft; :1 transmission'shaft, journaled in the frame, and extending through the end wallof the tank; gears mounted thereon, one engaging with the gear on the driving shaft and the other with the means on the cylinder for imparting rotatory motion thereto, substantially as' herein shown. and described.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name,

HENRY 'WARD DABROW.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON, ANNIE C. COURTENAY. 

